Match 2. Stratford Town v Bishop Cleeve

Saturday 9^th August 2014 @3pm

Southern League Division South & West

STRATFORD TOWN 2-0 BISHOP CLEEVE

DCS Stadium, Knights Lane, Tiddington, Stratford-Upon-Avon

 

Admission: £8

Programme: £1

Attendance: 163

Refreshments: Thatcher’s Cider, £3.30. Hot Dog, £2.20

 

A family trip in the morning to Leicester to see the Richard III exhibition until lunchtime, then an hours drive via M69 & A46 so the girls can walk around the lovely Stratford-Upon Avon and I can visit the fairly new DCS Stadium, 2 miles away on the outskirts of the nearby village of Tiddington. On arrival 45 minutes before kick-off, the car park was fairly full, but officials directed me to a space near the clubhouse. I arrived in the clubhouse to catch the last part of the Bristol Rovers v Grimsby match on BT Sport.  The rumours of top eye candy bar staff on the NLM Forum are non-founded but good service is provided by a couple in their 40s. I had also imagined the clubhouse to be larger than I found, although provided ample room for today’s match.

The facilities are all on one side of the ground.  The turnstile entrance is at the near side, then to the right is the club hut, where merchandise and todays programme is available.  Then there is the main stand only containing half a dozen rows of seating split by a tunnel entrance to the changing rooms behind and a roof covering over the top extending a way past the seats. It left me with a feeling of lost opportunity to fill in more seats in the space given.  There is an attached white painted and glass fronted building for hospitality and board room.  The tea hut is next to this building, selling the usual burger/hotdog/bacon and hot drinks. The rest of the railed pitch is hard standing but does have a covered step terrace half the length behind the right hand side goal.  I presume they can expand the facilities if they rise up through the pyramid.

Stratford started with almost the same squad as last season whereas Cleeve had assembled a completed new team and management. The home team employed a 4-2-3-1 system which seemed to suit their style, with no9 and 10 interchanging the target role and 2 wingers with no11 especially nippy and no7 more of a James Milner type.  Town were ahead after 11 minutes when no10 Sterling ran inside the penalty area and was tripped to concede the penalty with no complaints.  Gregory sent the keeper the wrong way.  A second penalty 10 minutes later when another run by Sterling and was sandwiched by 2 defenders in the penalty area and the ref again called it a penalty but this was not as clear cut.  The same penalty taker in Gregory but this time the keeper guessed right to palm it away.  Gregory made amends on the next attack which produced a corner.  He headed in the corner from 8 yards.  Stratford should have added to their total before half time but for 2 fine saves from the visiting keeper and 2 shots just wide. 

The second half started after the linesman delayed by forgetting something from the dressing room, and the half had a more subdued feel to it without a great amount of clear chances at either end.  However, no10 Sterling had 3 good chances in the second half, all of which ended up firing over the crossbar.

 
After meeting the family back at the White Swan, we stopped off at the Weatherspoon at the Beaconsfield service station which is a new and odd experience for me!

Match 1. Hartley Wintney v Colliers Wood United

Saturday 2nd August 2014 @3pm
Combined Counties League Premier Division
HARTLEY WINTNEY 1-0 COLLIERS WOOD UNITED
Memorial Ground, Green Lane, Hartley Wintley


Admission: £6
Programme: £1
Attendance: 65
Refreshments: Guinness, £3.95. Bacon Roll, £2.50. Cheeseburger: £3.

There was numerous holdups on the M25 and onto the M3, then saw a horrific tailback on the M3 London bound due to a nasty 4 car pileup blocking the whole carriageway. Thankfully it was cleared for the return journey after the match.  Unfortunately this left no time for me to explore the area before kick off.

The ground has a large carpark and the changing rooms have a temporary look to them.  The clubhouse is a brick building with raised vantage points outside with a large overhang and also hanging baskets from the roof. As well as the bar, there is a projector screen for the football and a snack hatch serving the usual hot food, snacks and hot drinks. The 3 sides railed pitch has an enclosed look due to high hedges on 2 sides with the non railed sided out of bounds with a mesh fence to catch stray shots. A standard seated Atcost type stand is on the opposite touchline to the club building and dugouts.

In the first half, the visitors were marginally the better side. There was a lack of threat in attack and looked weak in centre midfield. The home side looked composed on the ball but a little off the pace apart from the nippy number 7 and 11.  The second half was a more exciting contest as Colliers Wood should have scored when no10 was put through by a short back pass from no2, but after rounding the keeper, then shot from 6 yards onto the outside of the post and behind when an open goal beckoned. The only goal of the game was a fantastic shot from 30 yards on 75 minutes. Carl Saunders hit it first time which arched into the top corner flicking the crossbar on the way in.

Match 46. Harold Hill v Buckhurst Hill

Saturday 31st May 2014 @2.30pm
Essex Olympian League Premier Division
HAROLD HILL 0-2 BUCKHURST HILL
Hendersons Sport @ Social Club, Kenilworth Avenue, Harold Wood

Admission: nil
Programme: No
Attendance: 40 ish
Refreshments: None taken at ground

Met DQ in the well presented King Harold pub. Nice touch with the open bar in the beer garden. 
After Messrs Arthur and Grigio were consumed and I was presented with the forthcoming Sunday League Programme of the Year, we arrived at Hendersons just in time for kick off. With DQ dealing in play off contraband and tapping up players for next season, I enjoyed the game with BH centre back 4 and midfielder 11 the stand out players. The clubhouse is busy and spacious, organising themselves for a presentation evening for a youth team. Plenty of hoppers in attendance for the match and hopefully, moonlighting as a 70s rock tribute band to scare the children later. 

This was a competitive game with Hill lacking penetration up front, which is probably the reason 
behind their relegation and they went behind midway through the first period following 
a lapse at the back. The home side were reduced to ten following a sending off for a late but non-malicious tackle which I and others perceived to be worth only a yellow. The visitors sealed the win soon after. 

After evicting DQ from the hop mobile it was a 5 mile tailback from Dartford Bridge taking an hour to pass. I arrived late home without the promise of any fresh venison or giggly sausages for the family of Carnivors to consume. DQ is such a tease!!

Match 45. Cuffley v Letchworth Garden City Eagles

Saturday 24^th May 2014 @3pm

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

CUFFLEY 4-2 LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES

King George V Playing Fields (Cuffley), Northaw Road East, Cuffley.

Admission: free

Programme: free (4 page folded A4 sheet)

Attendance: 50 h/c

Refreshments: Guinness: £3.50. Crisps 50p, Mars bar 70p

Cuffleys ground is 10 minutes’ drive from the A10 junction at the M25, passing Broxbourne Borough and Goffs Oak football grounds en route. I parked in error at the Tennis Club car park (sat navs fault) but walked through to the football club, which has its own ample sized car park.  The pitch is railed on all 4 sides apart from a gap on each halfway line supposedly for dugouts, and in front of the changing room/club building behind the top goal. The pitch slopes from top to bottom but is well grassed. The club building has all the facilities including a small bar. Hot and cold drinks and snacks were available but no hot food or rolls. The programme was available behind the bar.

Considering this was a game with nothing riding on it, the entertainment and commitment was commendable.  Letchworth played a lot better than the previous Saturday thumping by the League champions. However there was a bizarre nature of how both sides notched up goals in the first 48 minutes. I was getting warmed up as a ball boy for the first 15 minutes before the rain settled in for the next hour, as I watched the rest of the first half in the dry of the clubhouse executive window.

The first goal for Cuffley arrived after 3 minutes.  A cross was caught by the keeper 3 yards out but he preceded to drop the ball into his own net, almost in slow motion.  Letchworth equalised on 9 minutes when the yellow booted no3 crossed from the right for no10 to slide in and direct the ball in from 6 yds. The hosts went back in front 2 minutes later when no14 thumped a back pass under no pressure to the advancing keepers left and into the net.

After the break it took just 3 minutes for the comedy of errors to continue. A cross from the right was intercepted by the half time substitute no14 who slid in and diverted the ball over the defence into the far corner to make the score 2-2.  He was then fortunate a few moments later to stat on the field after some handbags with the Letchworth no10, both escaping with a booking.  On 65 minutes a shot just inside the penalty box beat the keeper to regain home advantage. The final goal arrived when a corner was connected by no10 without any decent pace, but the keeper proceeded to bend down and let the ball through his hands and then legs into the net.  This was a moment after he produced an outstanding save over the crossbar from a belting shot from 25 yards!

As I chatted alongside some non-playing first team members, the home no4 had bet his teammates that he would score today or face having #utf (up the Cuffs) tattooed on him, he then fell to the ground hiding his face at the final whistle as his excited team mates prepared the strategy of getting him to the tattoo shop before 5.30!!     

Match 44. Bedmond Sports & Social FC v Letchworth Garden City Eagles

Saturday 17^th May 2014 @3pm

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

BEDMOND SPORTS & SOCIAL FC 10-1 LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES

Toms Lane Recreation Ground, Bedmond

Admission: free

Programme: £1

Attendance: 65 (h/c)

Refreshments: Guinness £3.10. Starbar 70p. Cheeseburger £1.50

The small car park at the ground was full on my arrival 30 minutes before kick-off so I parked in a side road behind the top goal. The pitch is shared with cricket and is railed on 3 sides but can be removed for the cricket season. One touchline has hard standing and there is an area of cover attached to the clubhouse. Inside the clubhouse is a good size with a bar selling alcohol and soft drinks as well as snacks.  Inside there was also a small kitchen which sold burgers, hot dogs and chips as well as hot drinks. Programmes are available from the hardworking secretary, Ged Deacon.

The match was dominated by Bedmond from the start. The no9 & 10 strike force Arron Lewis and ‘Sipo’ Sippetts were dominant. Both had scored in the first 3 minutes. A period of domination without adding to their score for half an hour, then from a free kick from the left was headed in by ‘Sipo’ after a well-timed run. 5 minutes before the break no9 got his hat trick with another header in the 6 yard box.

The second half produced a barrage of goals, with no10 Lewis adding 3 to his first half effort and Bedmond reached 8 before the consolation away goal from Letchworth. I missed 2 goals just collecting my cheeseburger and came back to see the attacking double act being subbed.  It didn’t stop the home side adding 2 further goals before taking the foot of the accelerator for the last 5 mins.

Bedmond are a quality Step 7 side on this performance and together with Standon & Puckeridge and Belstone are a class above the rest of the division.  

Match 43. Newham United v Old Southendian

Saturday 10th May 2014 @2.30pm

Essex Olympian League Senior Division One

NEWHAM UNITED 6-1 OLD SOUTHENDIAN

Cave Road, Newham

 

Admission: free

Programme: N/A

Attendance: 41 h/c

Refreshments: N/A

A fairly local game for me, through the Blackwall Tunnel and A13, parking in Cave Road as the club car park was full. Inside the entrance is a caged AstroTurf 5-a-side pitch next to the fairly new looking club building including 4 changing rooms. There was a front reception but no refreshments on offer. There are 2 pitches but only the main one was marked out, with railing around 3 sides and roped on the fourth. Hard standing is available on one touchline and 2 park benches double up as dugouts although the away side decided to base themselves on the open touchline.

The match kicked off 7 minutes early and by 2.30 started raining quite hard which continued until half time.  Newham needed a point to win the title but although having more possession, couldn’t click in the final third. After 25 minutes a 25 yard shot from the visitors’ no15 hit the back of the net after flying through the goalkeeper’s hands.  The home side had their best chance of the half after 30 minutes when a shot was parried by the keeper, the first rebound was stopped by the defenders legs and the third effort headed off the line.

Newham came out invigorated in the second half and shone, like the arriving sunshine.  After 55 minutes they drew level.  A free kick allowed no9 to run down the left wing and cut inside, crossing along the by-line and no5 slid in on the back post to tap in.  The next attack ended with a goal disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.  The 2^nd goal was on the hour when no9 went of a mazy run inside the box and released no8 who backheeled into the net.  On 68 minutes a third goal ended hopes of an away win when no11 blasted the penalty straight down the middle and in off the crossbar, followed 2 minutes later by another goal when no11 passed to no9 in the area who deftly struck the ball into the top corner.  No9 added his second when receiving a cross from the right, cutting inside and blasting into the net.  The final goal arrived 5 minutes before the end when no4 weaves into the area passing 3 defenders before looping the ball into the corner.

Newham win the title by 2 points and promotion to the Premier Division.   

Match 42. Newhaven v Littlehampton Town

Saturday 3^rd May 2014@3pm

Sussex County League Division 1

NEWHAVEN 0-1 LITTLEHAMPTON

Fort Road, Newhaven

  

Admission: £5

Programme: free

Attendance: 107

Refreshments: Shandy, £3. Chicken & Leek cup-a-soup, £1. Brought my own ham & egg salad wraps.

  

The ground is located about 6 miles from the A27, heading away from town on Fort Road.  The entrance is across the playing fields adjacent to the childrens playground.  Tennis courts are outside next to the main stand, which is brick built, 2 storeys high but boarded up and only used for the seats at the front.  Full length seated stands are available behind both goals with the stands coming from Brightons tenancy at Withdean.  The fourth side is open hard standing, where I stood and retrieved balls from the match and the kids playing over the fence.

  

The facilities are behind the near goal by the entrance.  Changing rooms are in the corner, then a building for toilets, bar and snack bar.  A bbq was set up alongside the no longer used terraced steps where there were burgers on offer.  Next to that was a covered wooden stand also now defunct due to the new seating area.  All the buildings are of a temporary nature and I would love to see the main stand redeveloped to include the facilities as it could add a real dimension for a visitor to the ground.

  

The match was an end of season affair with Newhaven safe in mid table following a turnaround in fortunes from relegation favourites in February, due to their new player/manager.  Littlehampton had missed out on the title but did have a chance of finishing 2^nd.  The match however was more noticeable for the performance of the referee Theo Parfitt, no relation to the Status Quo guitarist but seemed to play with 1 yellow card, booking 10 players, half of which were for dissent. Littlehampton were the main culprits but both benches had their unsavoury moments.  The stop start game was settled by an 89^th minute hit by Dave Gaskin.